SUBJECTS WITH UNINVESTIGATED IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME HAVE AN ALTERED NUTRIENTS INTAKE

Background and aim: Diet seems to play a trigger role in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms generation. However population based surveys evaluating dietary habits and nutrients intake in IBS patients are scanty. Aim of our study was to compare nutrients consumption between uninvestigated IBS and controls subjects. Material and methods: We selected 95 subjects (39 males, median age 33) with IBS symptoms (Rome III Criteria; IBS-diarrhea: 60; IBS-constipation: 35) and 147 controls subjects (66 males, median age 27). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. All subjects were invited to complete a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and nutritional analysis was performed by Winfood Software. Data (mean ± SD) were compared by unpaired T-test. Results: IBS subjects were significantly overweight than controls (BMI 26.2±3.4 kg/m 2 vs 24.7±3.6 kg/m2; p